Marrying the Enemy
by TheLestrangeMistress
Summary: A marriage law is enacted by the Ministry to help repopulate the Wizarding world, and Hermione Granger is paired with the Lestrange brother's. Can they overcome their past and get on long enough to fulfil the requirements of the law?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: ****This story is for the 100k pairing challenge in the challenges forum. There will be a some clichés in the story, but I will try and make them not seem like one (hopefully). I have written a number of Hermione/Lestrange brothers fics already so I already have a good idea on what I want them to be like. There will be NO character bashing in the story as per requirements of the challenge.**

Hermione sat working in her office at home when an owl tapped on the

Carefully turning the letter over, she saw that it had been sealed with the Minister of Magics official seal. It had been what she and the rest of the Wizarding world had been waiting for. With trembling hands she opened it and started reading.

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_after careful consideration the Wizengamot have enacted a marriage law to help repopulate the wizarding world. Witches and wizards who are not registered as being bonded from the twenty first of June this year, and fall between the ages of nineteen and seventy, shall be subject to the law. In addition, each witch and wizard is required to submit a blood sample to help find a compatible match. Those to whom the law applies shall find a second letter with details of their allocated appointment, and procedures if they are unable to attend the prearranged date and time. Any witch or wizard who refuses to comply will face a short sentence in Azkaban. If non compliance continues then an extended stay in Azkaban will occur. If for any reason you think that you should be exempt from the law then please direct your owls to the 'Marriage Law Inquiries'. Evidence will have to be provided, and in case of medical evidence it will have to be verified by a medical examination._

_It may also be noted that due to differences in the numbers of witches to wizards, some witches will be paired with two wizards. These witches will be picked from those who have a seventy five percent compatibility rate or higher with their second match, if their second match has not been assigned to someone else._

_Due to the purpose of the law a minimum of two children must be born from each marriage, and a minimum of four children from a triad. This is to ensure that the population increases enough to guarantee our survival._

_It is unfortunate that the situation has come to this, but doing nothing will only decrease our population until we are non-existent._

_Yours sincerely, _

_Kingsley Shacklebolt, _

_Minster of Magic, Order of Merlin First Class_

Hermione stood there in shock. She had heard rumours that the Wizengamot were planning on trying to pass a marriage law but never thought it would happen. The only good thing was that couples who were already married and those who were going to marry in the next three days were lucky.

She wondered when the letter said _all_ witches and wizards were subject to the law, whether that applied to Azkaban prisoners as well. Hermione shivered at the thought. She couldn't stand to be paired with one of the Lestrange brothers, or even Dolohov, knowing what they had done and who they had killed.

Hermione remembered that there was a second letter in the envelope with details of her appointment in. She opened the envelope and pulled a smaller letter out and started reading.

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_as you are subject to the marriage law passed by the Wizengamot we have allocated you a time and date for your blood sample to be taken. Your appointment is on the twenty third of June at ten thirty a.m. Your employer has already been notified, and will arrange any cover necessary for the duration of you appointment. _

_If for any reason you are ill on the day of your appointment, please send us an owl before the scheduled time as not turning up will been seen as failure to comply. The punishment for this will be a short stay in Azkaban._

_If you think that you may have a medical reason which will exempt you from the law please bring medical evidence to the appointment, and it will be copied and sent to the Marriage Law Inquiries office. If you need evidence to support your claim, then please make an appointment with a healer before your allocated appointment. If this is not possible then please contact your personal healer and ask that they send you or the marriage law Inquiries office the correct paperwork by owl._

_Yours faithfully,_

_Julian Smith_

_Head Healer of St Mungos_

It was about five minutes later that Hermione's floo activated and she heard the voice of Ron Weasley.

"Hermione?" he called.

Snapping out of her reverie, Hermione answered, I'm in my office Ron."

He walked down the corridor and stopped in the doorway. A second later she was in his arms sobbing. Not quite knowing what to do, Ron patted her head and held her as she cried.

"I'm sorry Ron." Hermione said sniffling as she pulled away from him slightly.

"It's okay Hermione. You've got a reason to be upset, we all have." Ron said soothingly trying to reassure her. "Kingsley has called an emergency Order meeting at Grimmauld Place. I think he wants to talk about the law. I get the feeling he didn't want it passed."

"What time?" she asked.

"In about an hour." Ron replied.

Hermione nodded. "Thank you Ron."

"It's no problem," he said wiping he last of her tears away with his thumb.

"How is Ginny taking it?"

"Not very well, you will see her tonight though."

Hermione nodded again.

"I should go; I have to tell Harry about the meeting." Ron shivered

Knowing what Harry's temper could be like Hermione asked, Would you like me to go with you?"

"No, I should be okay. See you later." He said kissing her forehead and walking back down the hall to the floo.

Once Hermione knew that Ron had left she got a parchment and a quill, and began to write questions that she had for Kingsley.

An hour later Hermione flooed to Grimmauld Place. Harry had let the Order keep using it as he didn't want to live there.

When Hermione walked into the kitchen it was packed and there were no seats left so she had to stand.

She waved to the Weasley's and various other members she was friendly with, but there was no sign of Harry. Kingsley Shacklebolt, however, was standing at the other end of the table looking nervous.

"Can everybody be quiet please?" Kingsley asked and the murmuring died down. "Is anyone missing that should be here?"

"No, Hermione was the last one." Bill Weasley replied.

"I will start then. The first thing I would like to make clear is that I did not want this law to be passed. I fought it as hard as I could from the very beginning, but I was overruled by the majority of the Wizengamot. I have added safeguards to make sure the process cannot be manipulated, and I have made sure that once a blood sample is used it is destroyed. I know some of you will have questions for me so- yes Hermione?"

"Are the prisoners in Azkaban subject to the law?"

"I'm afraid so. They will be released, but they will have their magic limited until they have proven that they can live in this society."

"Can one person be paired with two prisoners?"

"Yes, but only if the person have a seventy five percent or higher compatibility with their second match."

"How do you work out who is a match?" Molly Weasley asked.

"Once you have given your blood sample, a set of old match making spells will be used. These have extra conditions such as the witches/wizards must be single, divorced, or widowed, fertile and between the ages of nineteen and seventy. The spell will then produce the names of the three witches or wizards and their compatibility percentages. To make it even safer they have agreed to destroy each blood sample once it has been used."

"As triads are not the norm in the wizarding world, is anything going to be put in place to reduce the stigma of being in one?"Hermione asked.

"Again, yes. We will make sure that no insult, threat, or prejudice will be made to those in a triad by making it clear that the individuals involved had no other choice. We will also take any complaints seriously and punish the culprits severely if they are found guilty." Kingsley answered wondering how many other questions Hermione had.

"What if you end up with someone you hate?" the youngest Weasley asked.

"You have to deal with it. The spell matched personality traits, intelligence and fertility. If the spell says you're compatible then you will be matched. Just remember that you may not like their ideas, or beliefs, but the way they are over them maybe a trait you admire, or even have yourself." He explained.

Ginny nodded.

"Has anyone else got a question?"

"How long will it take before the results are sent out?" Harry asked.

It was the first time Hermione had seen him, and the expression on his face showed that he wasn't happy.

"Around four to six weeks. St Mungo's have already collected blood from prisoners, and have back to back appointments for everyone else over the next two weeks. We also have to sort through those who can be genuinely exempt from the law and those who are making false claims. We need everybody's blood to be collected before we can start otherwise pairing people may go wrong."

"So there's another way of pairing people?" Hermione asked sharply.

Kingsley winced. It wasn't something the public was supposed to know about but knowing the rest of the Order would want an answer he obliged.

"Not exactly. In the case of one witch or wizard being the highest compatible match on more than one list, we do not only have to look at who they have the highest compatibility match with, but also the compatibility of the others with their second match. They would be paired with the person who has the greatest difference in compatibility with their second match."

Hermione gave a slight nod showing her understanding, but thought that it was incredibly complicated and did not know how the Ministry would have the results out in two months time.

"Are there any more questions?"

No one raised their hands.

"Meeting over." Kingsley called.

Hermione went to Ron and Harry after the meeting had finished. They stayed and talked well into the night about how unfair the law was and how they hoped they would end up with someone they liked already.

With a couple of hugs Hermione left them to their brooding and returned to her flat.

Wednesday morning rolled around too quickly for Hermione. She had made sure that she would have to go to her office in the morning otherwise she would be tempted not to go to her appointment, short stay in Azkaban or not.

Hermione had tried to work in the Department for the Regulation of Magical Creatures trying to get more rights for house elves and other magical beings, but her agenda had been met with considerable resistance. After several attempts at getting the laws changed and her own passed, Hermione decided to leave the department and go into developing charms. It was something which stimulated her intellectually and was something she could make headway in. She worked for Johnson's and Partners, the oldest company for developing charms and had rose quickly through the company to be one of their top researchers and developers.

At ten past ten, Hermione started tidying her desk and gathered the documents she wanted to work at home with and left with a quick goodbye to her secretary. She arrived at St Mungo's with ten minutes to spare.

"Miss Granger." A healer called.

Hermione stood and walked to the healer. She was about mid-thirties, young enough to be dragged into this mess Hermione thought. The name tag on her uniform told Hermione that her name was Lucy, and she shot a reassuring smile toward her.

"If you would like to follow me." She said leading to one of the many examination rooms.

Closing the door she said, "My name is Lucy and I will be your healer today. Before I take a blood sample I would like you to answer a quick questionnaire. The answers will only be seen by myself and the Marriage Law Inquiries office, is that okay?"

"Yes." Hermione replied.

"Your full name is Hermione Jean Granger?"

"Yes."

"Your date of birth is the 19th of September 1979?"

"Yes."

"Do you smoke?"

"No."

"Do you drink alcohol?"

"Occasionally"

"That's the basic stuff. The next few questions are about your medical history. Please try and be as detailed as you can if it applies to you," Lucy paused. "Have you suffered from and disease or infection which could have affected your fertility?"

"No." Hermione replied.

"Have any spells been cast on you which have resulted in fertility problems?"

"I'm not sure. I was cursed by Antonin Dolohov when I was fifteen, and he has never revealed which spell he used, or what it was supposed to do. I have had no symptoms, and a diagnosis spell showed nothing wrong with me. The healer at the time however, said that without knowing precisely what sort of spell I was hit with, it was going to be difficult to detect anything wrong with me. I've never been in a situation serious enough to consider children so I don't know if it could have affected me that way." Hermione answered.

"Okay, I will run another diagnostic spell over you to see if it picks up anything new. It has changed in the past three years to include a wider range of curses." She said as she waved her wand over Hermione. The healer looked satisfied when the light turned green.

"There seems to be no problems with you Miss Granger. I will send a letter to the MLI to put a note on your file in case you have problems conceiving."

"Thank you, it's nice to know that whatever he did probably hasn't affected my health long term." Hermione said.

"Okay, next question. Is there any history of fertility problems in your family?"

"Not that I am aware of." Hermione replied.

"Have any of you female relatives have gone through the menopause early?"

"They're muggles so they would have gone through the menopause earlier than most witches."

"What average age did the go through the menopause?"

"My mother and grandmothers were around early to mid fifties when they went through it. I don't know about anyone else."

"Okay, that's the questions over with. I am now going to take half a pint of blood from you in the muggle way. I will give you a blood replenishing potion, but you will have to eat a chocolate bar or something to keep your blood sugar levels normal."

Hermione shut her eyes and let the Healer get on with the procedure. Hermione didn't like the sight of blood as it brought back terrible memories from the war.

"All done." Healer Lucy said.

"Thank you." Hermione replied.

"No problem Miss Granger. The hospital cafe is on level six if you with to get something from there."

After leaving the Healer, Hermione apparated straight to Hogsmeade and purchased the biggest bar of chocolate she could from Honeydukes.

Everything seemed to return to normal in the next few weeks as Hermione and her friends almost forgot the pressure they were under. One morning, around five weeks after she had given a blood sample, Hermione heard another owl tapping at her window. She took the letter and noticed that it beared the an official Ministry seal, but not that she recognised. It was the news she had been waiting for and opened the letter to see her fate.

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_We would like to inform you that you have been matched to two wizards due to your high compatibility rate. The compatibility rate with both of your future husbands was over ninety percent, and the highest we saw in any of the matches. You have been matched with Mr Rodolphus Lestrange and Mr Rabastan Lestrange. As both of your future husbands are in Azkaban you will meet with them at the Ministry once they have had their magic limited. You will be notified of when this will occur within the next few days. Your future husbands have already received a similar letter and have agreed to the terms of the law._

_We wish you every success,_

_James Malburry_

_Head of the Marriage Law Inquiries office_


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione walked down the corridor towards the Marriage Law Inquiries Office dreading the meeting she was about to attend.

Rodolphus and Rabastan were two of the most trusted and depraved Death Eater's in Voldemort's ranks. They were everything Hermione had fought against in the war, and they had witnessed and been party to her torture at Malfoy Manor.

Another reason Hermione was dreading the meeting was because she, Harry, and Ron had broken into their Gringotts vault and stole the cup of Helga Hufflepuff, which had belonged to Voldemort.

Reaching the reception area, Hermione waited her turn to be seen.

"How can I help you?" the receptionist asked.

"I have an appointment with Mr Robard, the name is Granger."

"If you would like to take a seat I will tell him that you are here, and he will see you through." The receptionist said pointing to a corner of the room with several chairs

About ten minutes later a man wearing very expensive looking robes came and greeted her.

"Hello Miss Granger, my name is Leon Robard. The Misters Lestrange are in my office already if you would like to follow me." He said leading Hermione down one of the corridors from the main reception to his office.

Stopping and turning to Hermione before they entered his office he said, "The brothers had their magic limited before you arrived so there is no reason to be apprehensive about meeting them.

Robard pushed open the door and held it as Hermione entered.

Rodolphus and Rabastan stood as Hermione entered. A sign of their upbringing Hermione thought.

"Gentleman, may I present Hermione Granger."

"Miss Granger, it is nice to finally meet you properly." Rodolphus said moving toward the witch.

"It is nice to finally meet the both of you properly too." Hermione replied. She had wanted to mention that it was better than the last time they had met, but thought that it would not be a good idea.

Rodolphus grinned at her response and pulled out a chair for her.

"Thank you." Hermione said.

The brothers did not sit until after Hermione had and then turned their attention to Mr Robard.

"The Ministry have asked for this meeting for two reasons. One is so that you can meet in a neutral setting and the second is to go over some finer points of the law."

Hermione's brow furrowed. She thought that they had been given all the information in regards to the law. From the expressions on the brother's faces they also did not know that there were other conditions.

"What other 'finer' points Mr Robard? I thought we had been told everything about the law?" Hermione asked echoing the brother's thoughts.

Shifting slightly, Mr Robard answered, "it is a detail regarding the conception of children."

"I thought the only condition was that Miss Granger had to bear four children, two to each of us." Rabastan said questioningly.

"Well yes that is a condition of the law, but the other is that the first child must be born within the first year of marriage."

"No offence Mr Robard, but does the Wizengamot think it's that easy? It can take years for a couple to have a child even with fertility potions, and mapping the woman's cycle, and you expect it to happen in a year?" Hermione said fuming.

The brother's looked at their fiancée during her little speech and loved the way her eyes lit up when she argued.

They still struggled with taking the infamous Muggleborn as their wife, but had remembered her fire, her determination, and her passion for the cause she was fighting for. They also didn't want to spend the rest of their lives in Azkaban. It was a way for them to redeem themselves and their name, and to become respected in the world once more.

"I agree with Miss Granger," Rodolphus paused. "When my previous wife and I tried for a child it never happened. We used everything we could to make it happen, but it never did. We were both tested by healers and we found out that she was barren, but it was my duty to try. I was the eldest son, and I am now head of my family, and it had been made clear that I was responsible for carrying on our family name."

"I am sorry to hear that Mr Lestrange, but the Wizengamot will not budge on this. Both the Minister and several fertility specialists have requested more time for this requirement but have been denied." Mr Robard said not sounding at all sorry for the other man.

"Is there anything else we need to know?" Hermione asked wanting to get away from Mr Robard as soon as possible.

"That's everything for today; you may go now if you wish."

The three of them stood at once and walked out of the office.

The brothers saw that Hermione was furious and decided to try and take her mind off Robard and the Ministry by discussing their wedding.

"Miss Granger." Rabastan called.

Hermione turned around to face them.

"Would you care to join us for a drink? We could perhaps get to know each other a little?" Rabastan asked.

"That would be lovely," Hermione answered smiling slightly. "Where will we be going?"

"The Serpents Lair." Rodolphus said. "May I take you side-along?" he asked offering his hand.

Hermione walked forward and took his offered hand. It was slightly calloused compared to her soft skin but it felt good. He pulled her closer and then she felt the familiar twist of apparition.

They appeared outside of their destination with Rabastan not far away. The street was nearly deserted but a chorus of people could be heard from inside the pub.

Taking her hand into the crook of his arm, Rodolphus led her inside.

It was not what Hermione had been expecting. The room was decorated in soft greens and was warm and inviting, and the opposite of what she had been told it was.

"What would you like to drink Miss Granger?" Rabastan asked.

"A Butterbeer please."Hermione replied.

Rabastan went to the bar as Rodolphus lead her to a table near the back. Suddenly their way was blocked by a bulky guy who Hermione recognised as Marcus Flint.

"That filth doesn't belong here." He sneered.

"Miss Granger is not filth, she is my fiancée and if you know what's best for you then you will not insult her again." Rodolphus said through gritted teeth.

He may not have wanted to marry the young woman next to him, but he had been raised to show respect and unity with his affianced, or wife, even if there were problems between them.

"Fiancée? Why would you sully your line with her?"

"Miss Granger is a great witch with many admirable traits. I would go as far to say that she is more admirable than most pureblood witches. In response to your inquiry, the Ministry has matched us under the marriage law."

Outrage poured from the crowd around them and Hermione felt herself move closer to Rodolphus for safety.

Rabastan walked to where they were standing and asked, "What's going on?"

"This man insulted Miss Granger by saying she was filth and not worthy to marry into our family. I just happen to point out that she was a greater witch than most pureblood witches put together." Rodolphus explained.

Rabastan turned to Flint and said menacingly, "It would be wise if you did not insult our fiancée again, or you will regret it."

"Regret telling the truth? I don't think so somehow." Flint sneered again.

"Miss Granger has several commendable qualities which make up for her impure blood. It is something which can be overlooked due to many of them."

Flint snarled but moved out of the way.

"I suggest you watch your attitude, you don't know who you're dealing with." Rodolphus growled.

He then led Hermione and Rabastan to a deserted table near the back door.

"I thought it would be best if we were near the door if we need to make a quick exit." Rodolphus explained.

Hermione nodded.

Rabastan looked at Rodolphus who seemed to understand his thoughts, nodded slightly.

"Miss Granger-"

"Hermione, please call me Hermione." She said cutting Rabastan off.

"Hermione, there is something which you should know before we talk any further," he paused. "Rodolphus and I were under the imperious curse when we served under the Dark Lord. We do not, nor have we ever denied the crimes we committed whilst under it. The curse wore off during our time in Azkaban and was placed on us once again when we had escaped."

"What my brother is trying to say Hermione, is that what we did to you at Malfoy Manor was not entirely our own doing. Yes, it was us physically, but it was not our minds, or our wishes to do so." Rodolphus finished hoping the young witch would understand.

Hermione nodded once again, but this time was in deep thought. She prided herself on being a good judge of character, and could normally tell when someone was lying to her.

"I believe you."

"Thank you Hermione." Rodolphus said.

"Is there something you wanted to ask?" Rabastan enquired.

"I was wondering why you didn't use that as your defence." Hermione asked quietly.

"It doesn't matter if we were under the imperious curse or not, we committed those crimes knowing what the consequences would be if we were caught. We may never have joined the Dark Lord on our own but we still supported his views, his goals, and what we thought would be the outcome." Rodolphus explained.

Hermione wasn't shocked by this. She knew from Harry that their father had been one of the first Death Eater's in Voldemort's service and she would be surprised if they had not at least supported Voldemort's cause and donated money to it.

"I assure you Hermione that this isn't easy on us. We were raised to hate you, to hate all Muggleborns, and this is hard for us. I have no doubt that you are finding it hard to, but at least you have friends to support you through this."

"I know. Thank you for being honest with me." Hermione commented. She looked at her watch and realised that it was nearly time for her to be at the Burrow.

"I have to leave. I promised my friends I would have dinner with them. Thank you for the drink." Hermione said as she got up.

"We will escort you to the door Hermione. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you. Shall we owl you requesting another meeting?" Rabastan said standing when Hermione did.

"That would be great. I am normally free in the evenings and the weekends as I work during the week."

"That shouldn't be too hard to fit into our schedule." Rodolphus commented.

Outside the pub the brothers watched their future wife disapparate with a crack.

"That went well." Rabastan said turning to his brother.

"It certainly did." He replied.


	3. The Burrow

Hermione walked up to the Burrow and sighed. She had not told her adopted family who she had been matched with, and had ignored all her mail apart from the official Ministry letters. In fact, she had been so shocked by the results that she didn't want anyone to know she had been paired with the Lestrange brothers. Her first thought was that it was a terrible joke and the real letter would come soon, and the second was how the hell was she going to tell her family and friends?

Hermione walked through the front door and could hear the chatter coming from the living room. She followed the sound and could hear them laughing and joking. At that moment Mrs Weasley came out of the kitchen.

"Hello Hermione dear. We have been worried about you as you never replied to any of our letters, and you weren't there when Harry and Ron called around to see you this morning." She said concerned.

"I'm sorry for worrying you Molly. I went into shock when I saw who I had been matched with, and I really needed some time on my own. I had an appointment at the Ministry this morning which is why I wasn't there when Harry and Ron called."

"The Ministry? But surely you weren't paired with a prisoner?" Molly asked even more concerned.

Hermione sighed again. "I was paired with two Molly." Hermione replied.

"Two?" Molly asked weakly feeling sorry for the woman whom she thought of as a daughter.

"Yes. The letter said that I had over a ninety percent compatibility rate with the two of them and that they were the highest rates out of everyone." Hermione told the witch who was so much like a mother to her.

"Who are they dear?" Molly asked regaining her sense of speech.

"I want to tell everyone at the same time if you don't mind Molly. I really don't want to have to say it twice."

Molly nodded in understanding and pulled Hermione into a tight hug.

The living room door opened and George walked out.

"Oh sorry, I'll just go back in." He said knowing that he had interrupted a private moment.

"It's okay George. How are you?" Hermione asked.

"I'm alright Hermione. Glad I married Angie six months ago."

The door opened again and revealed Ginny.

"Hi Ginny." Hermione said.

"Hermione! How are you? We've been so worried after you didn't write back to us."

"I was in a little shock. How are you?" Hermione asked knowing that the other girl would not be entirely honest in front of her mother.

"Dreadful. I can't think of a worse match ever. Whoever thought me and Malfoy would make a good couple is completely off their rocker."

Hermione gaped at the girl in front of her. "Malfoy? As in Draco Malfoy?" She asked.

"Yeah, didn't you read my letter?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shook her head. "I couldn't even think about anybody else at the time. I just needed to go for a meeting at the Ministry to make sure my match was for real."

"You're...you're matched to someone from Azkaban?" Ginny asked in horror.

Hermione nodded not able to find her voice. Although she had told Rodolphus and Rabastan that she was coping, she really wasn't. She had been completely devastated when she found out that she was going to be bound to them. Out of everybody she could list they were at the bottom next to Greyback and Dolohov.

"I'm so sorry." Ginny said and pulled Hermione into a hug.

"I'm sorry too Hermione." George said laying a hand on her shoulder.

The door opened once again and Harry stood there taking in the scene. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Hermione was upset and what the cause was. He stepped closer to her and Ginny let go so he could hug her too.

As Harry held her she sobbed into his shirt. The sounds coming from her sounded less human and more like a wounded animal.

George, Ginny, and Molly said that they would leave them alone and that they would send Ron out.

It wasn't long before Hermione felt another set of hands on her back trying to soothe her. It was a testament of their friendship that they felt comfortable enough to do this.

After a short while she stopped crying.

"I'm sorry Harry." She mumbled.

"There's no reason to be sorry Hermione." Harry said gently.

"I ruined your shirt."

"No you haven't. I can put it in the wash and it will be as good as new."

"Hermione." Ron said uncertainly. "Will you tell us who? Only if you're ready... but we will find out eventually if you have to go to the Ministry."

Pulling away from Harry slightly, she looked at her friends faces and said, "I've been matched with both of the Lestrange brothers. They said that I had over a ninety percent compatibility rate with them."

"Those bastards!" Ron swore.

Hermione was still feeling upset that she didn't even reprimand Ron.

"Have you been to the Ministry yet?" Harry asked.

"I went this morning. They weren't too bad, and we even went for a drink after to talk about a few things." Hermione replied.

After another few minutes of calming down the trio were about to go into the living room when Hermione asked, "Who are you two matched with?"

"I'm matched with Leanne Ross, you know Katie Bell's friend?" Ron said.

"She's nice." Hermione said sniffling slightly. "And you Harry?" she said turning to her other friend.

"I'm matched to Susan Bones. We have arranged to meet tomorrow so we can start getting to know each other." Harry informed her.

"She's nice too. I'm happy that you have good matches."

"We better go in. I'm sure they will be anxious waiting in there."

With a deep breath, Hermione opened the door. She walked in and everyone stopped talking. She knew she had to do this otherwise they would find out from someone else and it wouldn't be fair.

"Hello Hermione." Arthur said kindly.

"Hi everyone." Hermione said smiling slightly. She had to do this now to get it over with, to get it out in the open. They wouldn't shun her, they would be as supportive as they could be, and as soon as she had that support the better.

"I know that you now know why I've kept my distance over the past couple of days and that I have been paired with two Azkaban prisoners-"

"You don't have to do this Hermione." Bill said cutting her off.

"I want to...I need to tell you. I have already been to the Ministry to meet them, and talked with them in a public place, and no doubt most of the wizarding world will know by tomorrow. I want to tell you myself so you're prepared for the outcry from all sides." Hermione replied and took a deep breath.

"I am paired with Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange. My letter stated that I had over a ninety percent compatibility rate with them. When I met them this afternoon they told me that although they were struggling with the idea of being married to me they would do everything they could to make it work. They also told me that they had been put under the imperious curse by Bellatrix and that's the only reason they became Death Eater's. They were trying to make sure I knew that it wasn't their will to torture me at Malfoy Manor." Hermione explained.

"Do you believe them Hermione?"

"They seemed sincere so I think they could be, but I am still wary of them."

Many of them nodded their heads.

The rest of the night they caught up on news and swapped information on who had been paired with whom.

The night ended on high spirits and as they all said goodbye Hermione held back so she could talk to Molly about traditional pureblood marriages.

"Molly."

"Yes dear?"

"Is it possible you could teach me about traditional pureblood marriages? It's just that I want to be prepared for when we will discuss it, and then I will know what they would roughly expect."

Molly looked thoughtful for a second.

"I don't think that I am the right person to teach you about traditional pureblood marriages. Arthur and I have never exactly lived by the traditional expectations although we were both raised with the information. I would suggest talking to Mrs Malfoy."

"Perhaps I will send her an owl tomorrow then. Thank you Molly." Hermione said hugging her.

"Take care Hermione and owl us if you need anything."

"I will do." She said walking to the boundary and apparated back home.


	4. Meeting at Malfoy Manor

Hermione woke up the next morning feeling happy. A great weight had been lifted off of her the night before and she could feel the peace which had settled in her bones. She thought about what Molly has said the night before about contacting Narcissa Malfoy for guidance on traditional Pureblood marriages.

Getting up, Hermione showered and dressed for the day in a pale blue sun dress. She had developed rather nicely over the last few years, and although she knew she wasn't what people would call a classic beauty, Hermione knew that she had an appeal of her own.

Sitting down at her desk Hermione pulled out two pieces of parchment with a quill and ink bottle. She thought carefully about what she was going to write and filled one piece of parchment with drafts of her letter until she settled on just one of them.

_Dear Madame Malfoy,_

_First let me congratulate you on the upcoming marriage of your son, Draco. I am writing to you because I have a problem which needs to be remedied. I am sure that you are aware by now that I, Hermione Granger am about to be bound to Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange. I have very little knowledge of traditional pureblood marriages, and the information I have read so far seems insufficient. I initially asked you son's future mother-in-law for guidance, but she reminded me that she and her husband did not adhere to many traditional practices and as such recommended that I ask you. I understand that you will have limited time on your hands due to Draco's engagement and wedding plans, and I would not wish to take you away from that, but I feel this is something that I should understand. If you were to consent to this then I would be extremely grateful and could you send me an owl with a time and place convenient to you. I am available any time over the next two weeks._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Miss H. Granger_

She re-read it to make sure it sounded okay and then put it in an elegant envelope.

"Athena." Hermione called her owl over. The bird landed on the desk and stuck her leg out for Hermione to attach her letter to.

"This is to go to Narcissa Malfoy. Don't wait for a reply." She said softly as she tied the letter to the leg and stroked her feathers before Athena flew out of the open window.

A few hours later Hermione was reading in the Black library in Grimmauld place when Athena returned bearing a letter. Hermione had not expected Narcissa to respond so quickly.

Opening the letter she read,

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_Thank you for offering your congratulations on my son's wedding. My family and I offer our own congratulations to you on your upcoming wedding. I was surprised by your letter, but I would be delighted to help you out. I am touched that my son's future mother-in-law recommended myself as a tutor and I hope that we can manage to put the past behind us. I have a free afternoon next Tuesday if that is amenable you. Would you be able to come to the Manor, or should we arrange to meet somewhere else? I know that the Manor will most likely hold terrible memories for you, and I will not think any less of you for choosing to meet somewhere else. I feel the need to inform you though that the room which you suffered in is completely unrecognisable._

_Sincerely,_

_Narcissa Malfoy_

Hermione finished the letter and searched for a piece of parchment and a quill in the old desk at which she was sitting. She wrote a brief note saying that she would be at the Manor next Tuesday afternoon and that she was grateful for the help.

Tuesday had rolled around faster than Hermione had expected it to and now it was ten minutes before she was expected at Malfoy Manor. She was slightly nervous at going but knew that it was something she would have to do at some point if she wanted to visit Ginny once she and Draco were married. After another five minutes she apparated to the front gates and walked to the front door which opened seemingly on its own.

"Hello Missy Granger. I is taking you to Madame who is waiting for yous in the sun room." The house elf which greeted her said leading her to the sun room where Narcissa was waiting.

"Madame, Missy Granger is here to see you."

"Thank you Mipsy. Hello Miss Granger." Narcissa said kindly.

"Hello Madame Malfoy." Greeting the witch formally.

"You may call me Narcissa, Miss Granger."

"Then I insist that you call me Hermione." Hermione replied extending the informal invitation to her tutor.

"Why don't you take a seat and tell me what you specifically need instruction on."

"As I stated in my letter I know very little about traditional pureblood marriages and the information I have found is insufficient. I want to know what will be expected of me in the role of Madame Lestrange, what my duties will be, and what I can expect from my husbands." Hermione said knowing that there would probably be a lot of information to take in.

"May I talk to you as if I would my own daughter Hermione?" Narcissa asked.

"Yes, of course."

"There are two types of traditional ceremonies used for marriage. The ceremony used the most is a verbal exchange of vows in front of a crowd and a blessing from a High Priestess from the temple of Aphrodite. The second is seldom used in today's culture as the bride has to be pure for it to work. A pure bride could choose the first ceremony but the bond with her husband, or in this case husbands, will not be as strong." Narcissa explained.

"What does the other ceremony involve?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Am I to take it that you are pure Hermione?" Narcissa asked.

Hermione blushed a little before answering. "Yes, I am."

"It is nothing to be ashamed of child; it adds another positive to your character. A witch who saves herself for marriage shows that she has great strength and resilience, and is not someone who is easily swayed. Unfortunately, virginity in a bride is something desired rather than expected in this age. I should imagine that Rodolphus and Rabastan would want to marry using the virgin ceremony." She paused briefly before explaining the ceremony. "Your parents would present you to your future husbands at the altar on their grounds and you union would be blessed by a High Priestess from one of the temples of Aphrodite. Your husbands would then take you to the marriage bed and take you virginity. The vows of the ceremony occur silently when they enter you the first time. The primary vows are love, protection, faithfulness, and family. There are some others, but they are not as important as the ones I have mentioned."

Hermione nodded as she took information in.

"What is the altar also used for?" Hermione asked.

"The altar is like a dias which channels magical energy from the ground. It is where you make offerings to the Gods, where a marriage is blessed, and where a child is presented to family and friends. Now tell me what you have found out about the marriages so far."

"I know that the primary motivation is to produce an heir to carry the family name on. A secondary motivation is to forge an alliance between families. The wife does not have formal employment but usually offers some of her time volunteering for various charities. I also know that the husband, or eldest husband, is the dominant force in the marriage and his word is law."

Narcissa nodded throughout.

"You have a good grasp of how the marriages are so far but there is on point I must elaborate on. Although Rodolphus's word will be law, you won't have to follow it if what he orders violates your wedding vows. For example, he could not order you to harm Rabastan in any way or vice versa. He also couldn't ask you to put off having an heir with him because producing a family is part of the vows too."

"Okay. What would my other roles be as Madame Lestrange?" Hermione asked.

"You would be expected to run the household, direct the house elves, arrange social event such as ball and dinners, and generally be a visible presence in society. It is something which is usually learnt during the actual marriage rather than beforehand. Some things such as the running of the household is discussed between the wife and her husband so she can make sure his needs can be fulfilled. The planning of the first few social events is usually done between the wife and her mother until the she is able enough to take the lead. I would be very happy to assist you in this respect as there seems to be no one else eligible for the role."

"I would be grateful for your help Narcissa. Thank you for taking the time to explain all of this to me. Is there anything else you think I should know that we haven't talked about already?" Hermione thanked the older witch.

Narcissa smiled at Hermione's eagerness to understand the role and responsibilities she would have in a pureblood marriage. It was refreshing for someone outside of their circle to be interested in it.

"It is tradition that they will court you up until your wedding day. Gifts of jewellery and flowers are usually given regularly to the bride-to-be. You should probably request a chaperone to be present when you spend time with them as you are pure. The chaperone is usually a male member of the bride's family. As your father is a muggle you would be best asking the elder Weasley's as Ginevra has done," Narcissa further explained.

"Thank you once again for telling me this. I felt ignorant and thought it would look bad if didn't understand anything." Hermione said sincerely.

"It was no problem Hermione. It is mostly pureblood families who follow the old ways who are the only ones who practice this now. Would you like some refreshments?"

"No thank you. I have to get home and compose a few letters." Hermione declined.

"I will walk you to the floo then. Will you be attending Draco and Ginevra's engagement ball? It is to be held in two weeks time on the Wednesday." Narcissa asked.

"I would be delighted to." Hermione answered.

As they walked along the corridor they could hear voices up ahead. Coming into the hall they found Lord Malfoy in the presence of Hermione's fiancées.

The men stopped talking once they noticed the women in the room.

"Miss Granger, it is nice to see you again. Are you well today?" Lucius Malfoy asked.

"Thank you Lord Malfoy, it is good to see you again too, and I am more than well today." Hermione replied formally.

Rabastan came and took her hand and kissed the back of it. "My lady, it has been our intention to arrange a meeting with you these past few days, however, other issues have kept us from you. Would you be able to spare us some time this evening and dine with us?"

"I will be able to dine with you this evening, and I have been informed to let you know that a chaperone would be needed." Hermione answered. She was not embarrassed that Lucius Malfoy was there watching and listening to the exchange. Since Narcissa had stated that virginity was something to be desired she felt less self conscious about letting people know the truth.

"You are pure my lady." He stated looking into her eyes.

"Yes I am."

"Then we shall dine together once a chaperone has been arranged. It will probably be too late to find one available now." Rabastan said gently. "I would not want speculation to hover if we did not have one."

"Thank you. I have decided to ask the elder Weasley's like Ginny has done. They are the closest thing I have to a real family in the wizarding world." Hermione told them.

Rodolphus stepped forward at that point and stood by his brother.

"Owl us with a time and date that both you and a chaperone will be available and we will talk about the wedding ceremony." He said smoothly.

Hermione could tell that some of the warm demeanour had left him since she had seen him last. Hermione supposed that he was still not used to the fact that he would be marrying Miss Mudblood, and was struggling with this match just as much as she seems to have been.

"I will talk with them later on and owl you tomorrow morning."

"Goodbye my lady." Rabastan said kissing the back of her hand once again.

"Goodbye Hermione." Rodolphus said slightly stiff.

"Goodbye Rabastan, Rodolphus. Goodbye Lord Malfoy." Hermione said walking to Narcissa. "Thank you for your guidance, and hopefully I will see you soon Narcissa."

"It was my pleasure Hermione. I am looking forward to see you again." Narcissa replied.

With the end of the goodbyes Hermione took a handful of floo powder and said 'Grimmauld Place' as she stepped into the emerald flames.


	5. A Date

**Author's Note: Sorry for not updating this sooner but RL and writer's block got in the way. It's a bit of a filler chapter, but it's still important. You also get a very short snippet of a future chapter although I haven't written any in between, I know how this bit is going to be written.**

Hermione walked along Diagon Alley to Weasley's Wizarding Wheeze's to meet George before having lunch with Rodolphus. Mr Weasley, Bill, Percy, and George had all consented to be her chaperones and had given her a self updating schedule so she knew when one of the times had been taken by Ginny.

Hermione made her way through the crowd of people in Weasley's Wizarding Wheeze's towards the counter where George was waiting for her.

"Hello Hermione." George said greeting her with a smile.

"Hi George, are you ready?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I just have to give the keys to Verity and then we can go." He said looking for his new deputy manager.

"There she is." George said pointing to somewhere in the crowd. He grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her through the throng of people until they got to Verity.

"Here are the keys Verity. I am chaperoning Hermione's lunch and don't know how long I will be, so lock up if I'm not back in time." George said handing the keys to her.

"Okay George." She replied before beginning to serve another customer.

Once they got out of the shop they started to walk down to the exclusive end which both of them had rarely ventured to. Neither had seen the point to spend an extortionate amount of money on something you could get elsewhere for half the price. Rodolphus, however, had insisted that they dine at the top restaurant. Delizioso was an upmarket Italian restaurant that was only present in affluent areas of the wizarding world. The owner had boasted that they sold the finest food and wine in the world, and many of the customers agreed.

Hermione had only been there once and had loved it. She had been trying to find another special occasion to go there, but hadn't managed to. Her birthday didn't seem special enough and there was no other occasion she could think of.

Rodolphus was already waiting for them outside the restaurant and smiled in acknowledgement. Hermione noticed that the coldness she had seen at Malfoy Manor was no longer there and felt relived.

"Hello Hermione." Rodolphus said taking her hand and kissed it. He then turned to George and said, "Hello Mr Weasley, thank you for taking the time to chaperone our lunch."

"George please, and it's perfectly fine. Hermione is practically my sister so I would do anything for her."

Rodolphus offered Hermione his arm and led her and George into the restaurant. The decor consisted of warm terracotta walls and cream furnishings, and was extremely welcoming.

They walked up to the podium the maître d was stood at.

"Can I help you sir?" she asked.

"I have a reservation for three under Lestrange."

"If you would like to follow me please." She said leading them through a maze of tables until they reached a secluded one at the back.

Rodolphus pulled out a chair for Hermione before sitting himself, and George took the last chair.

"Here are the menus,I will send the waiter over in a momentto take your drinks order and tell you today's specials." She said smiling.

"Thank you." George said.

"Would you like wine Hermione?" Rodolphus asked.

"I would love some." She replied.

"Would you mind if I picked the bottle?"

"Not at all."

A waiter came up to the table and said, "I am Alessandro and I will be your waiter this afternoon. Are you ready to order your drinks?"

"A bottle of water for me please." George asked.

"A bottle of you house white please." Rodolphus asked.

"How many glasses with that, sir?"

"Two."

"Today's specials are scallops in a garlic sauce, chargrilled chicken with Mediterranean vegetables, and Neapolitan ice cream with a twist." Alessandro recited.

"Thank you." Hermione said.

"I will be back shortly with your drinks."

When Alessandro was out of earshot George joked, "Well I know what 'm not going to have."

"Yes George, it wouldn't be goo to show yourself up by eating spaghetti bolognese and getting everywhere." Hermione replied laughing slightly.

"What would you like to talk about?" Hermione asked Rodolphus.

"What was your childhood like?"

"It was happy, but it was also a bit lonely. My parents were always working and I didn't have many friends. All the other children used to tease me for my love of learning and books. It wasn't until Harry and Ron saved me from mountain Troll in my first year that we became friends as they had also seen me as a know-it-all."

"You fought a mountain Troll in your first year?"

"Technically Harry and Ron did as I was too scared to do anything most of the time."

"That's still impressive. What other adventures did you have?" Rodolphus asked somewhat eagerly.

"I brewed Polyjuice potion in second year to try and infiltrate the Slytherin common room, I broke the time turner laws in my third year by saving Sirius Black. Fourth year I spent the majority of my time helping Harry in the Tri-wizard Tournament, and in my fifth year I helped organise an illegal defence group. There weren't many adventures in my sixth year and I never attended my seventh."

"Wow...that's a lot of adventures."

"That's what happened if you were friends with Harry." Hermione said shrugging.

George sat quietly letting the two of them converse. He knew that Hermione, Ron, and Harry had many adventures at Hogwarts but didn't know it extended to brewing illegal Polyjuice potion, or fighting a mountain Troll at eleven.

"Why were you trying to infiltrate the Slytherin common room?" Rodolphus asked.

Hermione took a deep breath and explained, "The Chamber of Secrets was open again and Harry and Ron suspected one particular person in Slytherin was the heir. We wanted to know whether they were or not, so I suggested that we use Polyjuice potion to change into people we knew they would trust hoping they would confide in us."

"Sounds like a great plan, what happened?"

"We obviously found out that it wasn't them, but we did get other information from them." Hermione answered. "What was your childhood like?"

"I didn't really have a proper childhood. From the moment I could read, write, and talk I was given tutors. I was instructed in the traditional ways, etiquette, and the superiority of being a pureblood. I was also taught the responsibilities that came with being the heir to the Lestrange family." Rodolphus responded.

"What about your Hogwarts years?"

"They were nothing special really. I was sorted into Slytherin, I got good grades, got detention from Pringle for using magic in the hallways, and that's about it."

"Never got into any adventures like me then?" Hermione joked.

"I daresay my Hogwarts days were boring compared to yours." He said smiling.

"Here are your drinks." Alessandro said placing them in front of them. "Are you ready to order your food?"

They nodded.

"I will have the bread bites with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and the chargrilled chicken with Mediterranean vegetables please." Hermione replied.

"I would like the scallops in garlic sauce, and the lasagne thank you." George said.

"I would like the pesto and padano cheese bites, and the brie and bacon pizza please. Rodolphus ordered.

"Any sides with your meals, or desserts?" Alessandro asked.

"Not at the moment thank you." George replied whilst Hermione and Rodolphus shook their heads.

"Is there anything else I can get you?"

"No thank you." Hermione said politely.

Alessandro took their order to the kitchen and started to serve someone else.

"You work in experimental charms don't you? How is that going?" Rodolphus asked.

"It's going really well thank you. I've just finished the researching part on one and will start the experimenting stage within the next couple of weeks once the findings have been validated and approved."

"I heard that you first worked in the Department for the Regulation of Magical Creatures? Why did you leave?"

"I left because I wasn't making any progress. I have always been passionate about the rights of magical beings since I was at Hogwarts, and I really wanted to make a difference. Not many other people in my department and in the Wizengamot itself supported my agenda which made it hard to change current laws, or pass new ones."

"That sounds frustrating."

"It was."

The rest of the lunch date went well and conversation flowed easily between Rodolphus and Hermione. George kept mostly quiet, but commented when Hermione hadn't quite told everything to Rodolphus, such as blackmailing Rita Skeeter.

The date lasted into the late afternoon and realising the time George told them that Angelina would be expecting him home soon.

"Sorry George." Hermione said.

"It's not a problem, just thought I should warn you." He replied.

Rodolphus signalled Alessandro to the table.

"How can I help you sir?" Alessandro asked.

"Could we have the bill please?"

"Of course." He said going to his podium and getting a paper bill. When he came back he handed it to Rodolphus who tapped his wand against the paper to authorise the payment from his vault.

"Thank you for dining with us today." Alessandro said hoping that they would be back very soon.

Rodolphus pulled Hermione's chair back and offered her his hand. Hermione took it and let him lead her out of the restaurant. Once in the fresh air they waited for George to come out.

"Thank you for today, I had really good time." Hermione said looking into Rodolphus's eyes.

"I did too. I never knew I could enjoy someone's company so much."

George walked out the restaurant and saw Hermione laughing in Rodolphus's arms. They already looked like a couple and if everything went as well as this date had done, then the marriage would be close to perfect.

"Break it up now." George said laughing slightly.

Rodolphus let Hermione go.

"I will see you in a few days. Have a good time with Rabastan tomorrow." Rodolphus said kissing her hand once again.

"I'm sure I will." Hermione replied. "Good night Rodolphus."

"Goodnight Hermione." He said before disapparating.

"Let's get you home Hermione." George said before taking Hermione side-along.

When they appeared in Hermione's flat all she wanted to do was sleep. The wine had gone to her head and she didn't fancy being sick.

"Thank you George. Say hello to Angelina for me."

"I will do. See you soon Hermione." George replied before flooing home.

As Hermione got ready for bed she thought about lunch today and how charming, kind, and sincere Rodolphus seemed. For the first time she thought that she may be able to happy with them.

Snippet from a future chapter:

"I can't believe you could do that to me! I'm your brother!" Rabastan shouted.

"It's a good job I didn't isn't it." Rodolphus said harshly.

Hermione backed away not wanting to hear anymore. Her mind was reeling from everything she had heard so far and wanted to make sense of everything before rushing in.


	6. Threats

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** **I am so sorry for taking so long to update. RL got in the way but things are starting to slow down now so I should be able to update more frequently. This chapter is a bit of a filler for me, but it's got a lot of intense stuff in between hermione and the brother's as well as something hermione has been keeping from them.**

Hermione woke up feeling happy. Her date with Rodolphus had gone extremely well and she was looking forward to her dinner with Rabastan.

Hermione carried out her morning routine with a small bounce in her step and double checked her handbag before flooing to the Leaky Cauldron.

Hermione had ordered a custom made dress from Madam Malkin's for the dinner as she felt as if she had nothing appropriate in her wardrobe. After that she would meet for lunch with Ginny. The two friends had barely seen each other since the night at the Burrow, and neither could wait to swap gossip.

The Alley was already bursting when Hermione arrived at eleven o' clock and she headed straight to Madam Malkin's.

When Hermione entered the older woman looked up and smiled.

"Morning Miss Granger. Your dress is in the back, I'll just go and get it for you." She said going into the back room.

Madam Malkin returned with an exquisite red dress in plastic covering.

"I did everything to your specifications, including that it be made of Acromantula silk. I covered it with plastic coverings to make sure that the dress stayed clean before you wear it." Madam Malkin informed her as she neatly folded it into a box.

"Thank you Madam Malkin." Hermione said breathlessly. The dress had looked stunning and she could not wait to wear it. It was a simple, floor length dress which bunched in under her breasts to emphasise her cleavage. It was perfect and she could not wait to see Rabastan's reaction.

"That will be three hundred galleons please." Madam Malkin asked.

Hermione tapped her wand on the receipt, thanked the older lady once again and left.

She walked down Diagon Alley and looked in several of the shop windows, but nothing caught her eye.

As she walked past one of the darker alleys, a hand clamped over her mouth and dragged her backwards. She struggled and tried to scream but it was muffled.

She heard him mutter a silencing charm before removing his hand from her mouth.

"Keep still mudblood and I might let you live." A raspy voice whispered in her ear.

Hermione shivered. She had not heard that voice sine he and Rowle had attacked them in the cafe after fleeing the Burrow, but she would recognise it anywhere.

"I won't let them taint their line with your filthy blood. You're not worthy to marry one of us. The only thing you're worthy for is spreading your legs. I would do the honours as you look like a delicious little thing, but I don't want to sully myself."

She panicked and started to struggle slightly. Dolohov pushed her against the wall roughly so her cheeks were grazed by the jagged brickwork. She didn't try to anything again as she knew it would be pointless. Keeping her energy would be more important than wasting it on something she knew wouldn't work.

He turned her around to face him.

Hermione saw the mad glint in his eye and panicked even more. He struck her hard with something and all she saw was a blurry figure towering over her as she blacked out.

Hermione started to wake up very slowly. She was aware that she was in St Mungo's and that she was badly hurt, but could not discern anything else. She opened her eyes and tried to lift her head but couldn't because it felt too heavy. She groaned and tried to move the rest of her body, but that too felt heavy. It was like some invisible force had her pinned down to the bed unable to move.

"Hermione?" a voice said softly. "I think she's waking up. Hermione, can you hear me?"

Hermione groaned in response.

"I'll get the healer." said Harry.

"It's okay Hermione; you're in St Mungo's. You were badly hurt, but you're going to be okay." Rabastan said reassuringly.

Hermione forced her eyes open and croaked, "What happened?"

"You were found unconscious in an alleyway just off Diagon Alley." Rabastan said worriedly.

A woman dressed in a healer's uniform entered the room and walked to Hermione's beside.

"Hello Miss Granger, I am Healer Owens. You have severe concussion due to your head injury, and several artificial lacerations on your arms and legs. Everything will be fine but we want you to stay in overnight. The auror's wish to take your statement now that you are awake. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"A glass of water please."

Rodolphus poured some in a plastic cup and passed it to her.

"Can you hold it alright?" he asked concern etched on his face.

Hermione nodded and took the cup from him. She drank greedily until it had all gone.

"What happened love?" Rabastan asked once she had finished.

"Dolohov." She replied.

It was unbelievable how the people in the room reacted to the name. Harry and Ron hissed like what she had said was forbidden. Rodolphus looked troubled, and Rabastan looked angry, upset, and murderous all into one.

He took her hand which seemed to calm him a little and asked nervously, "He didn't touch you in any other way did he?"

"No. He said he would, but he didn't want to 'sully himself' with me." Hermione replied monotonously.

Rabastan pulled her to him and kissed her forehead.

"I had to ask love. It would not have changed my opinion of you, or our union, it would just an indication of the care you needed."

"Thank you." Hermione said quietly.

"It's no problem Hermione."

Harry and Ron stood slightly to the back of the room observing the scene in front of them. They could tell that even though they hadn't known each other for very long Rabastan and Hermione were incredibly comfortable with each other. Rodolphus o the other hand, seemed to struggle with physical closeness, but was obviously concerned for her welfare.

"Did he say anything else Hermione?" Ron asked.

Hermione tried to nod but found it painful so stopped.

"Yes, he said he wouldn't let Rabastan and Rodolphus to taint their line with my blood." Hermione answered.

"Thank you Hermione. We will make sure it doesn't happen again." Harry said firmly.

"How is Dolohov still free?" Rodolphus asked.

"He fled into hiding once the battle was over and no one has seen him since."

Rodolphus nodded. He knew that it would be hard to track Dolohov down once he was in hiding, but couldn't understand why he would risk his freedom over this.

"Auror's Roberts and Smith will take an official statement from you later on. Also, I want you to have an escort in public-"

"An escort?" Hermione asked cutting Harry off.

"Yes, it's just a precautionary measure to make sure nothing happens again. This isn't the first time he has attacked you and we don't want it to happen again." Harry said firmly. He tried to make sure that there was no room for argument as he knew how independent Hermione was.

"When did he first attack you?" Rabastan asked.

"It was in the Department of Mysteries in 1995. I was hit by a purple curse and was in hospital for weeks after. The second time was just after the Ministry had fallen and we didn't know about the taboo." Hermione explained. Those were the only details that she was giving them.

"What about the letters and the break-in you had?" Harry asked pointedly.

"What letters?" Rodolphus asked demanding an answer.

"He has sent me some letters since he has been in hiding. They were..._explicit_ in what he wanted to do to me." Hermione stated whilst glaring at her friend. She really didn't want to have to go over this again.

"What do you mean by what he wanted to do to you?" Rodolphus asked. He had a very good idea on what had been written, but he needed it confirmed.

"How he was going to torture then kill me." Hermione replied.

"He will never touch you." Rabastan growled.

"No, he won't." Rodolphus confirmed.

"You will have an auror escort with you when you leave your house alone. If you are attending public functions, or you are on dates with Rodolphus, or Rabastan and have a chaperone then we won't provide one. You should be well protected enough if you are. Does that sound reasonable Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Yes, it sounds reasonable." Hermione replied yawing slightly.

"Are you tired Hermione? Do you need more sleep?" Rabastan asked.

Hermione nodded. She didn't want to go to sleep yet, but tiredness was threatening to overwhelm her.

"Lie down love. I will stay with you." Rabastan said letting her go.

"Thank you."

"It's no problem Hermione."

"I better be getting off. The rest of my family will want to know how you are." Ron said.

"I will see you tomorrow Hermione. I will come by to see when you're going to be released." Harry informed her.

"See you soon." Hermione said sluggishly as she succumbed to sleep.


End file.
